By way of background, void filling devices have been used in the packaging industry for protecting a packaging item within a container for a number of years. Typical examples of void filling devices can include preformed Styrofoam blocks, small particles of different shapes and sizes (commonly referred to as styrene loose-fill), plastic sheets with sealed plastic air pockets, injected liquid foam, corrugated cardboard inserts and even popcorn. Many of these void filling devices adequately protect the item; however, they may be bulky to store, expensive, non-reusable, and/or a nuisance to dispose of.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,602 to Landers et al. discloses an inflatable bag for use as a void filling device within a container. The bag includes an interior chamber with a flexible valve extending outwardly from the chamber. The bag is placed over a packaging item located within the container. A number of flaps extending from the container are folded over the bag wherein the flexible valve extends out of the container through a gap between the flaps. The container is then sealed and the bag is inflated, which compresses any void space between the packaging item and the container. During the inflation of the bag the flexible valve remains outside the container. The flexibility and placement of the valve creates a number of problems when filling the bag, i.e., an increase in manual labor, the possibility of a puncture, etc. Further, positioning the flexible valve while closing the box creates additional manufacturing problems such as increased manual labor, slower conveyor speeds, and limited surface space for sealing the box. After inflation of the bag, the flexible valve remains outside the container where it may be ruptured or torn. The flexible valve can also be ruptured or torn if pushed through the gap back into the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,123 to Pharo discloses an inflatable bag that wraps around a packaging item and is then placed within a container with a flexible valve extending out through a slot-like opening in the container. The container is then sealed and the bag is inflated, which compresses any void space between the packaging item and the container. The inflatable bag design disclosed in the Pharo '123 patent has a number of deficiencies that are similar to the deficiencies of the inflatable bag disclosed above in the Landers et al. '602 patent. Specifically, during the inflation of the bag the flexible valve remains outside the container wherein the flexibility and placement of the valve creates a number of problems when filling the bag. After inflation, the flexible valve remains outside the container where it may be ruptured or torn or the valve is pushed through the opening back into the container. In addition, the opening should be sealed to prevent any intrusion of water and/or dirt. The extra steps of pushing the valve back through the opening and sealing the opening increases labor costs and manufacturing time.